Facial Characteristics of the Islanders. 107 



away somewhat suddenly ; the face Is usually broad, and if 

 we except tlie rather prominent zygomatic process, approaches 

 the oval type ; the hinder portion of the head is flat and seems 

 as though crushed inwards, a circumstance of which Fontana, 

 in his well-known journal already mentioned, takes special 

 notice, and which deserves the more attention, that we think 

 we are in a position, by means of actual measurement, and 

 inquiries made on the spot, to say with certainty that this 

 modification of the normal form of the skull is not natural to 

 this race, but is artificially produced. We especially rely 

 upon the circumstance, that among the natives of Nangkauri 

 and others of the islands, the custom prevails of pressing 

 quite flat the head of the newly-born infant, probably in 

 conformity with Nicobar laws of taste and beauty : in order 

 to make the result more certain, they keep continually re- 

 peating this experiment by a variety of different means 

 during a considerable time. The nose is of ordinary di- 

 mensions, but is always of unusual breadth, and coarse of 

 outline ; we found a few individuals with noses of exorbitant 

 lenf^th. Owinff to the incredible extent to which the distrust- 

 ing practice of chewing the betel-nut is carried, their mouth, 

 naturall}^ large, is hideously distorted. On the island of Treis 

 we saw an aged native, whose tongue, in consequence of the 

 incessant betel-chewing, had been attacked in a similar 

 manner as his teeth. The chin is for the most part without 

 any marked characteristic, and is usually rather retreating. 

 Tlie maxillary bones are broad and projecting, and the 



